Content or Function Word Pronunciation Practice

You can improve your pronunciation by identifying which words are content words and which words are function words. Content words include main verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Function words are necessary for grammar, but do not receive stress in spoken English. Use these exercises to help you learn how to use content and function words to help you with your pronunciation because English is a time-stressed language. In other words, the rhythm and music of English comes from stressing content words. Once youve mastered this exercise, move on to finding focus words to help you further.   Content or Function Word? First, you need to be able to immediately distinguish between content and function words. Write down C for content and F for function.   Example: magazine (C) as (F) many (F) went  with  just  quickly  the  hard  next to  CD ROM  open  had  or  information  in order to  difficult  much  exacting  in front of  Jackhe  however   Answers contentfunctionfunctioncontentfunctioncontentfunctioncontentcontentfunction or content (if helping verb - function / if main verb - content)functioncontentfunctioncontentfunctioncontentfunctioncontentfunctioncontent Content or Function? Stressed or Non-stressed? Next, take a look at the sentences and mark the words that should be stressed. Once you have decided, click on the arrow to see if you have chosen the correct words. Example: Jack (yes) went (yes) to the shop (yes) to grab (yes) some coke (yes). He had finished breakfast before I arrived.  Phillip ordered a huge steak for dinner.  They will have to stay up late if they are going to finish their homework.  It must have been something in the air that caused Jack to shout.  Could you please be more quiet?  Unfortunately, Jack wasnt able to finish on time.  As soon as he has collected the results he will post them to his website.  Peter bought shoes today.There should have been some replies by now.  Knowledge creates opportunities where none have existed before. Answers stressed content words: finished, breakfast, arrived / non-stressed function words: he, had, before, Istressed content words: Phillip, ordered, huge, steak, dinner / non-stressed function words: a, forstressed content words: stay up, late, finish, homework / non-stressed function words: they, will, have to, if, they, are going to, theirstressed content words: something, air, caused, Jack, shout / non-stressed function words: it, must have been, in, the, that, to  stressed content words: please, more, quiet / non-stressed function words: could, you, bestressed content words: unfortunately, Jack, finish, time / non-stressed function words: wasnt able to, onstressed content words: soon, collected, results, post, website / non-stressed function words: as, he, has, the, he, will, them, to, hisstressed content words: Peter, bought, shoes, today / non-stressed function words: 0stressed content words: some, replies, now / non-stressed function words: There should have been, bystressed cont ent words: knowledge, creates, opportunities, none, existed, before / non-stressed function words: where, have Notice how some of the shorter sentences actually have more stressed words than the longer ones (2 compared to 3). These shorter sentences can often take longer to speak than longer sentences with many function words. The Music of English English is a very rhythmic language because of this tendency to accent only certain words. For this reason, you should practice using your ear as much as possible. Often repeating spoken English without looking at the written sentence can also help you learn this music of the language.   Helping Yourself Improve Pronunciation  at Home Finally, practice speaking through the sentences below. First speak the sentence trying to carefully pronounce EVERY word. Notice how unnatural this sounds (as in the listening exercise above showing the contrast between this unnatural pronunciation and the natural way of speaking). Next, focus on speaking the sentences only working on stressing the content words. Tape yourself doing this and you will be surprised at how quickly your pronunciation improves! He drove to work after he had finished working in the garden.Youll find the apples next to the oranges on the shelf over there.Maggie must have been visiting her aunt in Springtown last weekend.Could you pass me the mustard, please?They have been considering buying a new car as soon as they have saved enough money. Teachers can use this lesson plan to help students focus on stress-timed pronunciation in class.